James formed in Manchester in 1982, when Paul Gilbertson (guitar), Jim Glennie (bass), and Gavan Whelan (drums) met Tim Booth (vocals) at Manchester University and asked him to join their fledgling band. During the next year, James became regulars on the local club circuit, and by 1983 they had signed to Factory, releasing their debut EP, Jimone, later that year. Two years later, their second EP, James 2, was released, and Morrissey, the lead singer of the Smiths, publicly endorsed the group, asking them to open for his band. By the summer of 1985, Larry Gott had replaced Gilbertson, and the group signed to Sire Records. Working with producer Lenny Kaye, the group recorded its debut, Stutter, that year, releasing it in early 1986 to generally positive reviews.
Over the next two years, James toured constantly, building up a solid fan base. They released their second album, the folky Strip-Mine, in 1988. The record failed to capitalize on their live following, and the band departed Sire the following year, signing with the independent Rough Trade. On their new label, James released the moderately successful "Sit Down" and the live album One Man Clapping, which climbed to number one on the indie charts. In 1990, Whelan was replaced by David Baynton-Power, and James expanded to a septet with the addition of keyboardist Mark Hunter, violinist Saul Davies, and trumpeter Andy Diagram. The new lineup signed to Fontana Records and released Gold Mother in the fall. Following a handful of minor hit singles, Gold Mother finally became a breakthrough success in the spring of 1991, when a re-recorded version of "Sit Down" -- now boasting a contemporary baggy beat -- climbed to number two on the U.K. charts and became a staple on U.S. modern rock radio. Although the success of "Sit Down" was a blessing, it also was a curse, as the single became all James were known for. The band began to rebel in concert, playing almost nothing but new material, and its next album, 1992's Seven, was perceived as a misguided stab at big arena rock.
For the follow-up to Seven, James stripped away Diagram and worked with producer Brian Eno. The resulting record, Laid, was a quieter, more ambitious album, and it received some of the band's best reviews. While the album was ignored in the U.K., it was an alternative rock hit in the U.S. on the strength of the title track, which became a crossover hit. During the Laid sessions, James recorded another album's worth of experimental music with Eno that was released in the fall of 1994 as Wah Wah. The album received mixed reviews and the group took an extended break throughout 1995, partly due to guitarist Gott's departure. In 1996, Tim Booth recorded a collaboration with composer Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) entitled Booth and the Bad Angel, which received generally positive reviews.
With guitarist Adrian Oxaal in tow, James returned in early 1997 with Whiplash, a more straightforward record that was greeted with mixed reviews. Released in 1999, Millionaires, recorded with new guitarist Michael Kulas, was initially released only in the U.K. Their spectacular follow-up, 2001's Pleased to Meet You, was also available only in the U.K. A few months later, frontman Tim Booth announced his departure from the band he founded nearly 20 years before, and James called it quits following a winter tour of the U.K. in December 2001. The break was short-lived, however, as the band re-formed in 2007 and embarked on a tour in support of the double-disc compilation Fresh as a Daisy: The Singles. The following year saw the release of Hey Ma, James' tenth studio album.
The band returned in 2010 with a pair of "mini-albums" called The Night Before and The Morning After, respectively, before late 2011 brought a short, but novel, U.K. tour (the Orchestra of the Swan and the Manchester Consort Choir were their backup bands). In 2012, the lavish and long-awaited box set The Gathering Sound was issued, and included previously unreleased audio material alongside long-unavailable video concert footage. Details of the Max Dingel-produced La Petite Mort emerged in February 2014, and this first post-Mercury studio album was released four months later in June. Dingel then returned to produce their 2016 record, Girl at the End of the World. Written in Scotland and recorded in London, the album was described by the band as "big but personal, abrasive but warming" and "ultimately uplifting." Two years later, James teamed with producers Charlie Andrew and Beni Giles for Living in Extraordinary Times.
During the 2020 pandemic, Tim Booth teamed up with his Topanga Canyon neighbor Jacknife Lee to construct the basic tracks the rest of James completed while in quarantine. The resulting All the Colours of You was released in June 2021.
Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
There are other artists using the same name:
2) James is the vocalist of popular Bangladeshi band Nagar Baul. He was a member of the band Feelings and later formed the band Nagar Baul. James was raised in Chittagong and later moved to Dhaka for his singing career. Stylishly longhaired James--overwhelmingly known as the Nagar Baul (the City Bard), was the pioneer of psychedelic rock in Bangladesh. Originally a lead singer and guitarist, he has always been respected for his solo projects. He became affectionately called Guru by his fans. His tunes were bright and his singing a divergence from the archetypal tunes preferred by the commercial-type directors. His songs expressed love, rage, discontent, frustration, and happiness.
3) A Dutch rapper connected to the Fakkelteitgroep.
4) James Lee - known as James - was a former member of Royal Pirates, a South Korean band. On 2015, he got into an accident that caused him unable to play bass any longer. Hence, he decided to left the band.
James moved back to Los Angeles and decided to release music written post accident in a project called ’the Light EP’ consisted of 5 tracks. (http://jamesleeofficial.com/)
Honest Joe
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Screws the lamb
Indian call
Indian plan
Weight of gold
You're a gay
Catch your life
Catch your life
Messerschmidt
You're a ghoul
Hurricane, hurricane
Novatol, novaciane
Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium
It's the way way you break down all your food
It's the way you comb your hair
It's the way you wear the tie so crooked
The way you have that smile that smells of despair
It's the way you like to satisfy
The way you set the smile
The way you crawled into my life and stayed there for a while
It's the way you like to lick your paws
The way you screw the bolts
The way you groom your friends and neighbours
The way you get a cause
Novacaine, makes us smile
Novacaine, no one can
I know where
It's a gun
It's a dream of a christian marytrdom
Move your way
Do your spin
Get a dish, get a dish and spin
Totempole, it's my goal
I don't care where you're gonna take it from
The lyrics in "Honest Joe," a song by James, are cryptic, enigmatic, and hard to interpret. The song appears to be about a man whose life is spiraling out of control due to substance abuse. The opening verse, "Honest Joe Screws the lamb, Indian call, Indian plan," seems to suggest a reference to Joe's carefree personality, where he indulges in recklessness and spontaneity. Joe's choices could be described as screwing the lamb or going against common sense, while he still manages to impress everyone with his Indian call, indicating his boldness and daring attitude.
The subsequent lyrics, "Weight of gold, You're a gay, Catch your life," are more abstract, but they might be referring to the struggles of life, the weight of responsibilities, and the difficulty of living an honest and complete life. The phrase "you're a gay" could be interpreted as an archaic use of the word, meaning happy or carefree, which is consistent with the theme that has been established thus far. The phrase "Catch your life" is a call to action for Joe, who needs to grasp his life firmly and turn it around.
The following verses of the song, "Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium, Novatol, novaciane, Hurricane, hurricane," may refer to the drugs or substances Joe is abusing as a way of coping with his life's problems. The chorus focuses on the way Joe lives his life - his eating habits, his hair, his facial expression, etc. It paints a picture of a man who no longer cares about himself or his well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Honest joe
The person in question is named Honest Joe
Screws the lamb
Honest Joe is engaging in some sort of dishonest behavior
Indian call
There is some sort of Native American influence or imagery in the situation
Indian plan
This Native American influence is part of a larger plan or strategy
Weight of gold
There is likely some sort of financial motivation behind the actions of Honest Joe
You're a gay
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
Catch your life
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
Catch your life
This line is repeated, indicating that it is an important message or theme in the song
Messerschmidt
This is likely a reference to the German aircraft manufacturer, but its significance in this context is unclear
You're a ghoul
Honest Joe is being compared to a monster or other unsavory creature
Hurricane, hurricane
There is a sense of chaos or crisis in the situation described in the song
Novatol, novaciane
These are the names of drugs, possibly suggesting that Honest Joe is involved in some sort of substance abuse
Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium
These are also the names of drugs, further emphasizing the theme of substance abuse
It's the way way you break down all your food
The song is shifting focus to describe the physical characteristics and behaviors of Honest Joe
It's the way you comb your hair
The song is listing various details about Honest Joe's appearance or personal grooming habits
It's the way you wear the tie so crooked
This is another example of the song describing Honest Joe's appearance in detail
The way you have that smile that smells of despair
This suggests that there is a sadness or darkness behind Honest Joe's outward appearance
It's the way you like to satisfy
The song is once again turning its attention to the actions and motivations of Honest Joe
The way you set the smile
This is unclear, but likely relates to Honest Joe's ability to manipulate or deceive others
The way you crawled into my life and stayed there for a while
There is a personal connection between the artist and Honest Joe, and Honest Joe has had a significant impact on the artist's life
It's the way you like to lick your paws
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to some sort of animalistic or predatory behavior on the part of Honest Joe
The way you screw the bolts
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
The way you groom your friends and neighbours
This suggests that Honest Joe is skilled at gaining the trust and friendship of those around him
The way you get a cause
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to Honest Joe's ability to rally people around a particular idea or mission
Novacaine, makes us smile
This drug is associated with feelings of pleasure or happiness
Novacaine, no one can
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to the idea that no one can resist the effects or allure of the drug
I know where
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
It's a gun
This line suggests that there is a dangerous or violent element to the situation being described in the song
It's a dream of a christian marytrdom
This line suggests that there is a religious or ideological component to the situation being described in the song
Move your way
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
Do your spin
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
Get a dish, get a dish and spin
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
Totempole, it's my goal
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations
I don't care where you're gonna take it from
The artist is indifferent to the means by which Honest Joe achieves his goals
Contributed by Anna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.